The present invention relates to both means and apparatus for molding or casting a fishing lure in a unitary piece and, more particularly, to mold or cast a lure having at least one, and perhaps many, skirts having a plurality of tentacles, or whiskers, thereabout in the nature of the lure of my co-pending application Ser. No. 09/592,830.
1. Field of the Invention
Fishing, more than a casual leisure activity, has become a passion with many, and, not unlike other such activities, those that indulge themselves in it are relatively free with their disposable income when it comes to obtaining the very latest in equipment, and, in particular, the latest lure which, like a siren, holds out the promise of instant gratification to a fish and, coincidentally, to the fisherman.
There are, seemingly, lures for every species, weather condition, water condition, and, at least as to those who view the sport as more than quiet relaxation, there is a realization that one needs different lures for different conditions.
As a consequence, the number and variety of available lures is overwhelming, and the competition for the fisherman""s dollar is more than keen. Accordingly, price becomes a factor in making a decision as to what to buy, and the manufacturer that can make its lure in a cost effective manner has an edge over the competition, other factors being essentially equal.
2. Overview of the Prior Art
Many lures available today are made of a soft pliable material, the inherent flexibility resulting in an undulating, or wiggling, motion as the lure is pulled through the water. The movement attracts fish and has the appearance of being live and, thus, edible. Among such lures are several that are equipped with a plurality of whisker like appendages, typically located at the trailing end of the lure, a location which makes the casting or molding of the whiskers a relatively simple process.
More progressive innovators in the field have found that greater success can be predicated on the placement of at least some of the tentacles in the mid area of the lure, either exclusively or in conjunction with trailing whiskers. Clearly, to manufacture a lure with multiple sets of whiskers, or the like, circumscribing the body of the lure, considerable thought is required to devise a die which will accomplish molding, or casting, of the lure and to accomplish the feat with a single mold process requires significant ingenuity.
In addition to the referenced pending application, there are several lures of the general type referenced. Attention is directed to Rice U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,008, which is illustrative of the general type of construction to which the present invention has some application. However, the lure taught by Rice has opposed rows of appendages, and the fact that the rows are on opposite sides of the body of the lure, and are co planer, makes the task of construction much easier than it would otherwise be if the appendages circumscribed the body of the lure.
Reference is also made to Coggins et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,432, which teaches a mold for the formation of a fishing lure which has bristles along the body of the worm, as distinguished from tentacles or whiskers.
The present invention prescribes both method and means for the creation, in commercial quantities, of a lure having a worm like body and at least a plurality of tentacles banding the mid section of the worm and, perhaps, another grouping of tentacles at the trailing edge thereof and to accomplish this objective in a single step using injection molding techniques.
It is a further objective, related to the foregoing, to accomplish the molding of a plurality of lures of the type referenced, in a single step, with a single mold or die, the terms being interchangeable for purposes of this description, with multiple cavities.
Broadly stated, it is an objective of the present invention to manufacture a fishing lure of the type described and to do so in commercial quantities and at a minimal cost. Consonant with the foregoing, it is an objective of the present invention to produce the lure of the type referenced with a minimal cycle time, thereby permitting commercial quantities to be produced in a minimum of time.
The foregoing, as well as other objectives and advantages of the present invention, will become apparent when the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is studied in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: